The back and forth continues between House Republicans the Obama administration over a federal budget and the second proposal GOP lawmakers put forward on Friday hit the $100 billion bulls-eye for funding cuts — some of which will make pro-life advocates happy.
After some frank conversations, House leaders took the advice of Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and pro-life groups like the Family Research Council to cut off as much from the budget proposal in this first go-round of the continuing resolution.
The continuing resolution the GOP is putting forward puts the Obamacare law, which contains loopholes allowing abortion funding, on the chopping block. It also fixes a number of problems from the FY2010 Omnibus appropriations bill, which is “current law.”
Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council, describes the progress Republicans have made in their proposal:
On the cutting room floor is all funding for UNFPA (which we believe is complicit in China’s one-child coercive abortion program), as well as some international “family planning” dollars and $110 million of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program. Under this new proposal, Republicans would reinstate the Mexico City Policy, so no family planning funds can go to overseas organizations that perform abortions. It also fixes the D.C. abortion funding problem.
And, thanks to the Republicans’ “open floor” policy, there could be even more savings in the amendment process.
For years, the liberal political establishment has treated the government like an ATM, withdrawing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars for causes that Washington has no business funding. Most Americans have no idea that this symbiotic relationship between liberal politicians and organizations exists. Yet year after year, Democrats funnel our money to their friends, who in turn, help keep those leaders in power.
This new budget wallops some of those taxpayer subsidies to the Left, as well as ObamaCare–which Republicans are putting on a forced fast.
Perkins says his read of the budget process is that the decision on finalizing budget figures and potential pro-life guidelines on the taxpayer spending will take place quickly. Between now and March 4, when the current continuing resolution expires, Congress is only in session two weeks. Says Perkins:
But now that the President has released his budget, these days are guaranteed to be interesting ones. While the House is trying to straighten out spending through October, the White House is outlining its priorities from October on. Based on the response so far, those priorities could use some work.
